Our Open To All Message

Aldea welcomes the Tucson LGBTQ community

For too long, the church has not been a safe place for people in the LGBT community. The “sins” of the church are many and painfully well-known. From the extremes—think Westboro Baptist Church and their “God Hates Fags” campaign, or consider the practice of “Reparative Therapy” to “reorient” a person’s sexuality—to the subtler forms of discrimination—for example: “Love the sinner; hate the sin”—the church has communicated a message of judgment and rejection. Countless people have been hurt.

At Aldea, it’s pretty simple. We accept you. As you are. You are welcome. As you are. We have no agenda for you. We are a welcoming and affirming church; we are an open church.

Whether a person is gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgendered or questioning or straight, the message of Aldea remains consistent: Be who you are; be the best and truest version of yourself; hold love as life’s highest value; follow Jesus with passion and enthusiasm; serve the people around you with compassion and generosity; be present to the gift of this moment and to the loving presence of God.

For us, a person’s sexual orientation is no more significant than the color of their eyes—or any other personal characteristic. It is part of who they are. Some people have brown eyes, some blue. Some people are tall, others short. Some people have dark skin, others light. Some people are gay, others are straight. We celebrate the diversity of human life, and we believe that accepting differences is part of what enriches our experience.

About Love. Period.

“Love. Period.” is more than a slogan at Aldea; it’s a statement of our identity. We view love as life’s highest value and the truest expression of life.